Improvement in hoese eay-foees



A. HOUGHTON.-

I Horse Hay Fork.

Patented June 23,1868.

ALFRED noneeromor SEVILLE, 01110 Letters Patent No. 79,228, dated June 23, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN HORSE HAY-FORKS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, ALFRED Houenroix, of Seville, in the county of Medina, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay-Forks; and I do hereby declare that the following is'a full and complete description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side views of the fork.

Figure 3 is a view of the edge.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the different views. p

In fig, 1, A B are the limbs of the fork, and which are connected.- to each other at the top. To the lower ends are pivoted the feet B, at the point a.

O is a sliding shaft, fitted between the limbs, and secured in place by the plates D. The lower end of said slide is pivoted to the heel of .the feet at the point 6, so that, on forcing the slide downward, thefect will be thrown outward, as shown in fig. 2.

E and F are checks, one end of which is pivoted to the plate at the point e. 1

G are springs, whereby said checks are sprung into position, as will hereinafter be shown.

H is a pin, projecting from the slide through the plate D, and in which it works, in a slot, 12, as the slide is moved upward and downward for operating the feet. I

The practical operation of this fork is as follows:

When in the condition shown in'fig. 1, itis forced down'into the hay; the feet are thensprung out to the position-shown in fig. 2, This is done by first pushing hack the check F'from under the pin, as indicated by the dotted linef, which will allow the slide to he forced downward, thereby throwing out the feet. The pin, on

arriving to the bottom of the slot, is prevented from returning, and the feet, in consequence, secured in the, extended position by the check E, being forced, by the spring, forward over the pin, against which it impinges,

on lifting the fork and hay caught by the feet.

' The hay is then lifted and carried from the load to'thebay or stack, by' an arrangement of pulleys and ropes, and is discharged from the fork by drawing back from the pin the end of the check E, which will allow' the slide to ascend in consequence of the weight of'the hay upon the feet, which will cause them to close together, as shown in fig. 1, to be again inserted into the hay.

In consequence of the limbs being solidly united at the top, the lower ends act as a spring, whereby they keep the points of the feet closely together, so thatfontheir being thrust into the hay, they cannot spread apart, thereby obstructing its force and easy'insertion. I I

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is The checks E F, springs G, in combination with, the slide 0, in the manner as and for the purpose specified.

. ALFRED HOUGHTON. Witnesses:

J. M. HATCH, I J. B. Heron, 

